February 24, 2008

A New Twist On Identity Politics

You might think that all Kenyans would be vigorously
supporting Mr. Obama. But Kenya has been fractured along ethnic lines
in the last two months, so now Mr. Obama draws frenzied support from
the Luo ethnic group of his ancestors, while many members of the rival
Kikuyu group fervently support Hillary Rodham Clinton.

If Obama ends up winning the nomination, it'll be interesting to see whether the Kikuyu hold their noses and back Obama, or defect to McCain--Africa appears to be one continent where the Republican Party brand isn't toxic.